Apparatus for thermal therapy treatment of a selected region of the body of a human or of an animal and method of operating said apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for use in the thermal therapy treatment of a selected region of the body of a human or of an animal, in particular for use in the treatment of tissue damage after surgical interventions, of injuries, of inflammations and of chronic diseases of the rheumatic type, and in particular for assisting chemotherapeutic treatments, comprising a temperature control device which is provided in order to control a temperature of a temperature control fluid, and a heat transfer device which is arranged to transfer heat to the selected region of the body, wherein the temperature control device is connected, in a fluid conducting manner, to the heat transfer device, and is further arranged to temper the heat transfer device with a heat transferring temperature control fluid flowing through the heat transfer device, and with a control device which is connected to the temperature control device and to the heat transfer device, wherein the control device is arranged to control the temperature control device, in order to cause the heat transfer device to be at least partially at an approximately uniform temperature in the region of a contact surface between the heat transfer device and the selected region of the body to be temperature controlled. The invention further relates to a method of operating the device.

1 . A heat transfer unit which is provided to be brought into contact with a selected region of the body of a human or of an animal and which is arranged to transfer heat to the selected region of the body, the heat transfer unit being for use with a temperature control fluid arranged to flow through the heat transfer unit, wherein the heat transfer unit comprises:
 a first flexible material layer having a first skin contact surface which is arranged to face at least partially towards the selected region of the body, and having a first temperature control fluid contact surface which faces away from the first skin contact surface,   a second flexible material layer having a second temperature control fluid contact surface, which, between itself and the first temperature control fluid contact surface of the first flexible material layer, at least partially delimits one or more temperature control fluid chambers through which a heat transferring temperature control fluid can flow,   wherein the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer together are folded over or are arranged to be folded over, in particular by hand, generally along a folding line or folding region so as to define a first heat transfer unit portion comprising or defining a first temperature control fluid chamber portion and a second heat transfer unit portion comprising or defining a second temperature control fluid chamber portion,   wherein the heat transferring temperature control fluid is arranged to flow from the first temperature control fluid chamber portion to the second temperature control fluid chamber portion passing the folding line or folding region,   wherein, in the folding region or at or near the folding line, the heat transfer unit comprises a stiffening material to counteract a reduction in the flow of the heat transferring temperature control fluid from the first temperature control fluid chamber portion to the second temperature control fluid chamber portion via the folding line or folding region when the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer together are folded over generally along the folding line or folding region.   
     
     
         2 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening material is inserted between the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer. 
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening material has a higher bending stiffness than a material of, or making up, the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer. 
     
     
         4 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening material exhibits sufficient flexibility to enable the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer together to be folded over, in particular by hand, generally along the folding line or folding region. 
     
     
         5 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer are connected, in particular via welding lines or fusion lines, in particular along the periphery of the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer, and I or along lines within the periphery of the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer, thereby in particular defining a labyrinth-type pattern along which, or through which, the heat transferring temperature control fluid can flow. 
     
     
         6 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening material comprises one or more stiffening ribs, in particular extending from a location in the first heat transfer unit portion, in particular from a location within the first temperature control fluid chamber portion, to a location in the second heat transfer unit portion, in particular to a location within the second temperature control fluid chamber portion, passing the folding line or folding region. 
     
     
         7 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of webs connecting the first flexible material layer and the second flexible material layer, the webs forming individual islands or columns leaving spaces through which the heat transferring temperature control fluid can flow. 
     
     
         8 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more stiffening ribs are inserted into respective ones of said spaces. 
     
     
         9 . The heat transfer unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the one or more stiffening ribs have a cross section which varies along a longitudinal direction of the stiffening ribs, in particular wherein the one or more stiffening ribs comprise one or more barbs or other projections. 
     
     
         10 . A device for use in the thermal therapy treatment of at least two selected regions of the body of a human or of an animal, and in particular for use in the treatment of tissue damage after surgical interventions, of injuries, of inflammations and of chronic diseases of the rheumatic type, and in particular for assisting chemotherapeutic treatments, comprising:
 a temperature control device which is provided in order to control a temperature of a temperature control fluid;   at least two heat transfer units which are respectively arranged to transfer heat to the at least two selected regions of the body,   wherein the temperature control device is connected, in a fluid conducting manner, to the at least two heat transfer units, and is further arranged to temper the at least two heat transfer units with the temperature control fluid flowing through the at least two heat transfer units,   wherein the at least two heat transfer units are connected in series so that the temperature control fluid is arranged to flow in the following order:   a) from the temperature control device to a first one of the at least two heat transfer units;   b) through the first one of the at least two heat transfer units;   c) from the first one of the at least two heat transfer units to a second one of the at least two heat transfer units;   d) through the second one of the at least two heat transfer units;   e) from the second one of the at least two heat transfer units back to the temperature control device.   
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein exactly two of the at least two heat transfer units are connected in series so that, after flowing through the second one of the exactly two heat transfer units, the temperature control fluid is arranged to flow back to the temperature control device without flowing through another one of the at least two heat transfer units. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the first one of the at least two heat transfer units is arranged to provide temperature control for a foot and the second one of the at least two heat transfer units is arranged to provide temperature control for a hand. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein more than two of the at least two heat transfer units are connected in series so that, after flowing through the second one of the at least two heat transfer units, the temperature control fluid is arranged to flow through at least a further one of the at least two heat transfer units before flowing back to the temperature control device. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein, the first one of the at least two heat transfer units is arranged to provide temperature control for a foot, the second one of the at least two heat transfer units is arranged to provide temperature control for a foot, in particular a further foot, and any further ones of the at least two heat transfer units, if provided, are arranged to provide temperature control for a hand or hands. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein, the temperature control device has a separate output port and return port for each series connection of heat transfer units. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein, at least one of the at least two heat transfer units, in particular the second one of the at least two heat transfer units, is a heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         17 .- 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A method of performing thermal therapy treatment of at least two selected regions of the body of a human or of an animal, the method comprising:
 providing a device according to  claim 10 ;   causing the temperature control fluid to flow in the following order:   a) from the temperature control device to a first one of the at least two heat transfer units;   b) through the first one of the at least two heat transfer units;   c) from the first one of the at least two heat transfer units to a second one of the at least two heat transfer units;   d) through the second one of the at least two heat transfer units; and   e) from the second one of the at least two heat transfer units back to the temperature control device.